


Southern Cross

by itstonedme



Category: Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-29
Updated: 2012-09-29
Packaged: 2017-11-15 06:45:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/524332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itstonedme/pseuds/itstonedme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My first Orlijah.  Set during filming of the LOTR.  A sequel of sorts to <i>Babe in Boyland</i>, in which Elijah had been asking around for a kiss from one of the guys, just so that he could file that away under "actor's experience."  Originally posted <a href="http://fellow-shippers.livejournal.com/3726551.html">on LJ</a>, October 2007.</p><p>Disclaimer: A work of fiction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Southern Cross

“God, this is glorious!” 

Orlando spread his arms wide and high, arching to take in the night sky and free-fell against the pillowy slope of the sand dune. Above him, as far as he could see, the southern constellations pinwheeled in the inky night, and ocean waves crashed upon the shore a few hundred feet out. He blinked at the brilliance of it, then closed his eyes and sucked at clean salty air, smiling with a deep contentment. 

The sand shifted as Elijah dropped down beside him. 

“Easy, mate,” Orlando said, brushing at his t-shirt, eyes still closed, smile still intact. Elijah tossed a little sand at Orli's pant leg for good measure.

Stretching himself out beside Orlando, their arms barely touching, Elijah settled into sand still warm from the heat of the day. They stared at the heavens, the voices of their friends and music far off in the distance, before descending into a companionable silence as the minutes stretched themselves out.

After a bit, Elijah said, “This next year is going to be such a ride.”

Orlando looked at him, suddenly serious. “You feel it too, Lij? It’s not just me?” He stopped, then with a soft urgency, “It's not just because it’s my first big film?”

Elijah shook his head, hearing the vulnerability in Orlando’s voice, the searching innocence and awe. He smiled a little, no longer the youngest member of the cast. “No, Orli.” He looked over. “I feel it too. It’s going to be huge.”

Orlando turned back to the stars overhead. “I thought so,” he whispered. 

Moments passed. 

“Sometimes I feel so fucking... _full_ ,” Orlando sighed. “Of joy and thankfulness and god, I don’t know what." He played with the sand above his head, felt it sift over and over through his fingers. "It gets to you, you know?” His lungs hitched as he breathed in.

“I know,” Elijah answered.

They returned again to their own thoughts. Soon, a star flared out above them.

“See that?” Elijah breathed.

“Yeah.” 

The crescent moon spilled herself upon the rolling waves and the ocean marked time.

Orlando eventually drew a deep breath. “Lij,” he quietly asked, “Did you ever find a guy to kiss you?” 

“Don’t tell me Dom hasn’t made the rounds with that story yet,” Elijah chuckled. “It’s gotta be all over the set by now.”

Orlando huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, well, a kiss from Dom doesn’t really count now, does it. Dom kisses everyone.”

“Oh shit,” Elijah hooted, his chest shaking with laughter. 

“What?” Orlando laughed. Then lower, “But I mean, besides Dom.” Another deep breath. “Did you?”

“Yeah,” Elijah said quietly. “There was someone.”

Orlando exhaled long and slow. “Okay,” he whispered. “Okay. I’m glad.”

Elijah turned onto his side to look at Orlando. As dark as the night was, his breath caught at the vulnerability now back in eyes that would not meet his own, at a new melancholy there. “Hey,” he said, raising himself onto an elbow so he might catch Orlando’s gaze. 

The sand beneath his arm gave a little, tilting him forward so that he braced a hand against Orlando’s chest. Against a heart beating too rapidly within it, against breaths a little too quick to be considered even. He slid his hand along worn cotton to touch Orlando’s chin.

“Hey,” Elijah murmured, as brown eyes slid hesitantly towards him. “Let me show you what I learned.”

And Orlando's eyes softened as Elijah slowly smiled.


End file.
